The elections for Tripura assembly were held on February 16, where 89.95 per cent of the 28.14 lakh voters exercised their franchise. The elections for Meghalaya and Nagaland assemblies were conducted on February 27.
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Winners
Hekani Jakhalu: It beggars belief that it took 14 assembly elections for Nagaland to get its first woman MLA but it could not have come any sooner. Jakhalu, the 48-year-old lawyer-activist contesting on a Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party ticket, defeated Azheto Zhimomi of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by 1,536 votes in the Dimapur-III seat to create history. Jakhalu, a Lady Shri Ram College alumna who has a Master of Law degree from the University of San Francisco, was among only four women to contest the state polls. She received the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2018.
BJP: Another satisfying day for the BJP in a region where it had no traditional presence and where there are limits to its appeal. It will be mighty pleased with its Tripura performance, where there were niggling doubts of a dip considering the less than impressive governance and the looming threat of Tipra Motha. Though both the number of seats and the vote share are likely to see a marginal decline, the party would gladly take it. The incremental gains in Nagaland and Meghalaya, two Christian-majority states where BJP is not a natural fit, will be gratifying.
Election results: BJP ahead in close fight in Tripura and Nagaland, NPP emerges single largest party in Meghalaya
Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma: The scion of the erstwhile Tripura royal family, whose party Tipra Motha went to the polls demanding a separate Tiprasa state for tribals, will end up with a creditable 11 seats but may not get to play the kingmaker that he had hoped for. The results show that his party did well in the 20-odd tribal-dominated seats and has relegated the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, which represented the voice of the tribals in the last polls and got eight seats and 7.38% of the vote, to the margins. The IPFT is slated to get a solitary seat with just 1.3% of the vote. The BJP holding its ground in Tripura may have dampened the mood for Debbarma but he now has a solid base to build upon.
Neiphiu Rio: The four-time Nagaland chief minister looks set for a fifth term. Though the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-BJP alliance was never in doubt of retaining office, he will be pleased that the NDPP is poised to better its 2018 performance of 17 seats and 25.3% vote share to 26 seats and 34% vote.
Losers
CPM: The party is truly out of the picture in Tripura now. When its long run in the state was halted by the BJP in 2018, it was still in a very strong position, logging 42.22% of the vote share, just 1% less than the saffron outfit. Its seat share had fallen drastically from 49 to 16, but there was hope that it could claw its way back. This poll has put paid to that hope, the party expected to win just 11 seats and its vote share, alarmingly, falling to 25%. With no signs of a pick-up in West Bengal, the CPM is reduced to the status of a one-state party, with its sole government in Kerala.
Congress: The slow death of Congress continues. After being decimated in Tripura and Nagaland in the last polls, and its MLAs decamping en masse in Meghalaya, the party has turned in another limp performance, though its supporters will point to the three seats it is expected to win in Tripura and the five in Meghalaya. The coming days will show how durable those minor gains are, considering the propensity of MLAs in this region to switch allegiances. The party now gives out the distinct feeling of an also-ran and the lack of vigour is palpable.
Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura: For long the voice of tribals in Tripura, the party saw its thunder stolen by the newbie Tipra Motha. For all its exertions, it ended up with a single seat, down from the eight it won the last time. In what could be far more damaging to its existence, its vote share has gone down from 7.38% in 2018 to a mere 1.3% this time. With Tipra Motha dominating the tribal space, it looks an uphill fight for the IPFT hereon.
Naga People’s Front: The once mighty champion of Naga rights has fallen by the wayside. Formed in 2002, it remained in office for 15 years (2003-18) before being upended after the last polls, where it emerged as the single largest party with 26 seats. However, its erstwhile partner BJP tied up with the newly-emerged NDPP of Neiphiu Rio to form the government. Its bad run continued with 21 of its MLAs later joining the NDPP. It contested on 22 seats this time and its 38.78% vote share of 2018 has now been reduced to less than 7%. It is expected to win a single seat.
